VP Pence Announces U.S. Space Command During Trip To Space Coast (Cape Canaveral, FL) -- A trip by Vice President Mike Pence to the Florida Space Coast is not wasted. A SpaceX launch he was there to witness yesterday was postponed at the last minute until this morning. The Vice President used the occasion to announce the creation of the U.S. Space Command. He read a proclamation by President Trump which authorized the Department of Defense to use the Space Command to oversee American military activities in space. The launch window for today’s attempt opens at 9:07am
Suspended Broward Elections Chief Sues (Tallahassee, FL) -- The former Broward County elections supervisor is suing to get her job back. Brenda Snipes filed a federal lawsuit this week against Governor Rick Scott and state Senate President Bill Galvano seeking to be reinstated. Snipes came under fire for her office's slow recount of ballots from the November election and planned to resign on January 4th, but rescinded her resignation after Scott suspended her last month. She claims it's unconstitutional to suspend an elected official and is being denied due process.
Search For Suspect Who Killed Teenager On Way To School (Orlando, FL) -- Detectives are trying to figure out who killed a 15-year-old yesterday morning. He was shot while walking to Boone High School in Orlando. The boy was found unresponsive at the intersection of Waldo Street and East Kaley Avenue and rushed to the hospital. Doctors were unable to save him.
Disney Lifeguard Arrested (Orlando, FL) -- A Walt Disney World lifeguard is charged with stalking another Disney worker. The female employee says 18-year-old Nicolas Palazuelos [[pal-uh-zoo-way-los]] was a friend for about two months, but then started harassing her, and would show up to her apartment uninvited. He was arrested after police say he sent photos of the woman, taken of her through an open bathroom door to her friends and family.
Rays Nix Deal To Move From St. Petersburg To Tampa (St. Petersburg, FL) -- The Tampa Bay Rays are letting the City of St. Petersburg know that the team is staying put for now. Principal owner Stu Sternberg says the MLB franchise will not be able to finalize plans to build a nearly 900 million dollar ballpark in Tampa before a negotiation deadline ends. That means the team is locked into its lease at Tropicana field until 2027. The team says political approvals, site control, investment issues, and high costs killed the deal.
Southwest Bars College Student's Fish In Carry-On Bag (Undated) -- A college student is home for the holidays, without her pet fish. Lanice Powless couldn't take her pink Betta fish onto her Southwest Airlines flight from Denver to her family's home in San Diego last week. Powless checked with TSA to make sure she could bring the fish through screening in her carry-on bag. But when she tried to get on the plane she was told Southwest policy doesn't allow live fish to travel in the passenger cabin. Powless gave the fish to a woman in line behind her but they didn't exchange contact information so the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs student doesn't know where her fish is now. All she knows is, as far as Southwest is concerned, fish can't fly.
One Of Four Trapped In Mine Already In Trouble (Raleigh County, WV) -- One of the four people trapped in a West Virginia mine last week is no stranger to trouble. Four were initially stuck in the facility near Clear Creek, one managed to find the light of day but the other three were there for several days until finally being pulled to safety by rescue teams. A report yesterday in the "Register-Herald" says one of the four was already facing charges on copper theft allegations. Officials say all four were in the mine illegally and were there to steal.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2008, struggling automakers finally got the lifeline they'd been waiting for with a more than 17-billion-dollar plan announced by President Bush. The cash infusion required General Motors and Chrysler to come up with a restructuring plan to make their companies viable by a March 2009 deadline, or return the money.
1998, President Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House on perjury and obstruction of justice articles. The 42nd chief executive became only the second to be ordered to stand trial in the Senate, where, like Andrew Johnson before him, he was acquitted.
1985, ABC Sports announced it was releasing announcer Howard Cosell from all television commitments.
1917, the National Hockey League made its debut. The original members of the league were the Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Montreal Canadiens and the Montreal Wanderers.
1903, the Williamsburg Bridge was opened in New York City. It was America's first major suspension bridge.